Aqua Roses
by Zemyx-AkuRoku
Summary: He was very different from any other person she'd met. He was like... water. Yes. Like water distilling light, bending it, shaping it to fit him.
1. Chapter 1 Unusual Circumstances

Hiya, people of the internet! :D This is my first story! Well, on here, anyway. I don't know how long it will be, but I'm aiming for at least 10 chapters. They should all be about this length, however much it is. XD This is a romance story between Demyx and my own character called Kura. Sorry about the dramatic beginning, I do that on almost every story. ^^; I want COMMENTS, please, not just nameless reviewers. I need input on this writing style, since it's a new one I'm just trying out. Also, there will be a lot of random japanese words, but I'll have the definitions on the bottom of the chapters in case anyone doesn't know what they mean. ….Wow, I talk a lot. ^^; Erm, anyways, I hope you enjoy this first chapter! :D

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The sidewalk was blurred in front of me. Through my tears, I could barely see anything. I knew I should concentrate on where I was going, but the tears wouldn't stop. Suddenly, I rammed into something. As I began to fall backwards, two strong but gentle hands grabbed my shoulders. " Whoa! Hey, there. You okay, miss?" A slightly concerned voice asked me. I wiped away my tears to find a slightly tall man with strange blond hair and vivid aqua-green eyes looking me over anxiously. " You should be more careful, miss. You could run right in front of a car like that." he scolded me gently, letting go of my shoulders. For just a fraction of a second, I thought I saw a flicker of sadness cross his unusually-colored eyes. But it was gone so fast I wondered if I'd imagined it. I grimaced and rubbed my eyes forcefully. _What's wrong with me??? _I bowed to the kind man hastily. " I'm sorry! " I apologized rapidly, then continued running, paying attention now.

Once I reached my destination, the Princesses of Heart Hospital (who would call a hospital that???), I doubled over, panting. Once I'd caught my breath, I went inside. Immediately, the awful smell of 'hospital' and sick people assaulted my nose. I hated the smell of hospitals. I hated hospitals, period. I wouldn't have been caught dead here, if only Zero hadn't.... I sighed, and approached the reception desk. A nurse greeted me with a smile sugary enough to make me want to vomit, but I forced myself to smile and speak politely. " Excuse me, madam, but could you please tell me which room Mr. Zero Kanomi is in?" I said through my forced smile. The nurse cheerfully checked her clipboard. " Mr. Kanomi is in room 1-57 B. He's been asking for a Miss Kura. Would that be you, young lady?" she queried. I nodded, bowed and then raced off, calling out a hurried " Thank you! " to the over-sugary nurse. " You're welcome. Watch where you're going!" she reminded me. I slowed down obediently. I reached the right room, paused for a moment to compose myself, and then walked inside. The first bed was occupied by a dangerously thin redheaded man with spiky hair, but the stranger was uninteresting to me. I only had eyes for the very fragile-looking silver-haired boy in the second bed.

There he was. My quiet, sweet little 7-year-old brother, Zero Kanomi, hospitalized by a fall down some stairs. My tears welled up again, but I fought them down as I went to the bedside and kneeled down next to him. Biting my lip to keep it from trembling, I placed my hand on top of his burning one comfortingly. After a moment, Zero's eyes fluttered open and he turned his usually bright blue gaze first to my hand on his, and then to my face. My favorite smile appeared on his lips, strained but grateful. " Onee-chan. *1* You came." he said weakly, looking relieved. I squeezed his hand gently and held back my tears. " Of course I did, Zero-kun. *2* Why wouldn't I?" I told him. " You're such a baka, *3* Zero! Why did you run off on your own like that?" I demanded, unable to hold my tears any longer. His smile disappeared, to be replaced by a guilty frown. " I'm really, really sorry, Onee-chan! I didn't think-"

" No, you're right, you _didn't _think, Zero!" I interrupted angrily, letting go of his hand. " You weren't thinking at all!" Zero stayed silent. His lower lip was trembling. He was dangerously close to crying. After a moment, I sighed and ruffled his hair. " All right, all right, Zero-kun. You're okay this time, right? Just don't do it again, okay?" I relented. He smiled again. " Yes, Onee-chan!"

I was going to leave shortly after that, but Zero clutched my arm and begged me to stay with him, at least until he fell asleep. I wanted to refuse, but I saw stark terror behind his blue eyes. _He must've been so scared.... _He was only a little kid, after all. I gave in, and put my hand on his again. I began to hum his favorite lullaby softly, and it wasn't long before his eyes drifted shut and his breathing slowed. Suppressing a sigh, I got up and went quietly to the door. But as I took one step outside, I bumped into something. Two slightly familiar hands steadied me before I could fall back. " Whoa! Geez, miss. I hope this won't become a habit of ours." a voice chuckled softly. It was also a little familiar. I gasped and snapped my head up. Vast aqua-green eyes met my pool-blue ones. At first I didn't recognize him, but then I spotted the strange hairstyle. " Ah! You!" I said in surprise. Then I remembered that Zero was sleeping and lowered my voice. " What are you doing here? Are you following me or something?" I demanded in a whisper. He smiled a very small smile. It was almost a little hesitant, like he wanted to smile and be cheerful, but he didn't really know how. " Following you?" he repeated softly, his very small smile practically a smirk. " No, I'm not following you. You just keep popping up, wherever I go. Why are _you_ here?" he countered. I looked away, but my brother's bed caught my gaze, and a tear rolled down my cheek. " Because my brother Zero is a baka, that's why." My voice cracked halfway through. The man's slight smile disappeared, replaced with a sympathetic look. " I see." he said kindly. " I'm sorry. But I bet he's not as stupid as this baka here." He pointed to the redhead. " Who is that?" I asked curiously. The man sat down with a sigh, and I mirrored his movement, keeping a few inches between us. " That's my friend Axel. He was being stupid the other day, and didn't look where he was going when crossing the street. He got hit by a car." Suddenly, my mind went back to the first time we crossed paths. " _You should be more careful, miss. You could run right in front of a car like that." _I knew I wasn't imagining that flash of sadness. He'd been warning me against what had happened to his friend. " Oh." The man looked over at Axel, then blinked and returned his gaze to me. " I haven't told you who I am yet, have I?" he remembered. He smiled that very small smile from before. " Sorry. I'm Demyx. Nice to meet you." He introduced, holding out his hand. _Demyx, huh? _I took his hand hesitantly. " Kura, ditto."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I watched my little brother anxiously. Demyx saw me. " You're really worried about your little brother, huh, Kura-chan?" he asked softly. I blinked at him. " Of course! He's only 7, but he keeps trying to act like an adult. He's always going off on his own, trying run errands or other things he's too young to do. I have to look after him, or he could hurt himself. Like he did yesterday, while I was at school." I said protectively. He smiled that small smile and laughed a single, small laugh, almost sad. I could see a trace of bitterness in the smile, the only thing that was different. " I wouldn't know." he admitted, looking away towards Zero, still sleeping. " I don't have any siblings. Or a father. It's just me and my mother. It's always been that way, I think. I only have two friends, Axel and my other friend Zexion. I only know those three people. With Zexion busy all the time with studying, and this idiot always doing stupid things like this, I get lonely sometimes." I tilted my head in confusion. " Why don't you just meet other people?" I asked him. He didn't turn to face me as he answered. " Well, I would if I could. But I've never known anyone else, so I don't really know _how _to meet other people. Axel and Zexion were always there. Our parents are friends, or something like that. I don't know how to act around other people. What to say, or what not to say. So I just keep quiet. I can't make a mistake that way." I followed his gaze to Zero's sleeping form. " I see." I said quietly. After a moment, he laughed again, just once. " I'm sorry. Who am I to tell you all this, when we just met? You just seemed like someone I could tell these things. Maybe because you seemed a little alone yourself, I guess. I don't know." He sighed. He looked a little frustrated now.

I thought for a moment. But before I could think of anything, he spoke up. " I can tell you're very worked up right now though, Kura-chan. These are... unusual circumstances to meet someone in. We could meet another time, somewhere else, and talk some more." he suggested. I blinked, startled. Almost without thinking about, I nodded. He smiled, for real that time. " Ok then." He handed me a piece of paper with a number on it. " Call me when you feel like talking." He smiled one last time, then left without another word. For a second, I just stared at the piece of paper in my hand. I could feel the blood rise to my face. _Am I blushing? Why am I blushing? _I slipped the piece of paper into my pocket, suddenly grinning a huge smile. _I don't have anything to do tomorrow......_

**_*1* -_**Onee-chan: added to the end of an older sister's name. Onii-chan is for older brother.

***2* **-kun: added to the end of a childhood friend's name or a little sibling's name, typically a boy.

***3* **baka: stupid, idiot

**Please tell me what you think! :D Next chapter will be up as soon as I finish it! :3**


	2. Chapter 2 The Meaning Of Your Words

I AM DEEPLY SORRY! D: I haven't submitted anything in like A LONG TIME. My first story here, and I'm like a MONTH late with the second chapter. T_T I suck. Anyways, I rewrote this chapter so many times. e_e I hope you all like it. It's from Demyx's point of view. It was interesting making his personality. It was kinda hard. That's why i had to rewrite it so many times. I just couldn't seem to get the personality right without making him sound stupid or emo. X_x But this one's the best by far, i think I finally got it right. :3 I hope it's good. Enjoy! :D

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I stopped a few steps outside the hospital, everything that just happened finally catching up to me. I talked to someone I didn't know. I even gave her my number, so we could talk again if she wanted. I'd _never_ been able to do that before. I'd never really known how to. I slowly raised a hand to my lips, surprised. There was a trace of that smile still lingering. That smile... it was new. I'd never smiled like that before. This one felt different. It felt.... oh, what was the word? Happy, maybe?

Well, it's not like I wasn't happy before. I mean, my life hasn't been the best, but it's not been _bad _either. I was happy with my life. Or at least, I'd _thought_ I was happy. But the word 'happy' is a relative term, according to Zexion. I didn't really get it. The philosophy behind that just confused me. I'm not _dumb_, but I'm not the smartest guy around. Nope, that was Zexion for sure. But, either way, I'd _thought_ I was happy, and that was enough. But... maybe I _wasn't_. Maybe _this _was. ….Or, then again, maybe I _was_ happy before, and this was something else? But that doesn't make any sense at all! Ugh, why is everything so confusing? "None of this makes any sense." I grumbled to myself. So, what do I do, when nothing makes sense? I go to Zexion! Isn't that why I have a genius for a best friend?

Luckily, Zexion lived only a few blocks away from the hospital. As I rang the doorbell, I tried to work out how to explain all of this to Zexion. The door cracked open to reveal two icy blue eyes, and I could feel my surely-painful death approaching fast. I winced. "Is your famous death glare _really _necessary, Zexy?" I asked him cheerfully. The door opened wider to reveal a slightly short guy with blue hair he was currently holding away from his face. Zexion let his hair fall back into place, hiding the left side of his face from view. He was wearing his glasses, the ones he 'needed' to read. Ha, yeah right. He just wore them to look smarter. "It is when you interrupt me while I'm reading my favorite book, Demyx." he said stiffly. "But, I suppose you must be here for a reason," he went on, sighing. "Come in, then." I stepped inside. Zexion's house was nice and cozy, with friendly lavender walls and comfy furniture. Zexion closed his book and sat down in his armchair. I plopped myself down on the couch. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. I came over here so often, it was like my second home.

There was silence for a moment. I fidgeted nervously, still not knowing what to say. "Well?" Zexion prompted impatiently. "I do not have all day. Speak." I hesitated for another moment. "I bumped into someone today." The words came out in a rush. "Well, actually, _she _bumped into _me_. Well, actually, she bumped into me _twice-_"

"Stop."

I broke off, looking up at my blue-haired friend in confusion. "What?" Zexion's visible eye was wide with shock. "Demyx, you were babbling. You have _never_ done that, for as long as I've known you." I felt myself blush with embarrassment. He was right. I never really talked too much, and when I did, I talked slower than that. It came from not really knowing what to say to people. I only ever _really_ spoke my mind in front of Zexion and Axel. Oh, and my mom, of course. She always tried to help me get better at talking to new people, but it just didn't make any sense to me. "Sorry," I murmured. "Something like this has never happened before either. How often do I actually _talk _to other people, Zexy?" I pointed out. I knew I sounded a little defensive. Zexion leaned forward in his chair a little, looking interested now. "That is quite true. Tell me everything, Demyx, starting from the beginning. Tell me _exactly_ what you both said."

I told him the whole story, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. That's a habit of mine. I always do that when I'm nervous. What's Zexion going to say about me telling her everything?

When I finally finished, there was silence for a minute. Then, Zexion pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. He did that when he got frustrated. And at times like this, when he learns that I said something that maybe wasn't too smart. "Demyx... you're an idiot." I blushed again, looking down at the floor. So I _did _say something wrong. Talking to new people was such a hassle. Why did I bother? Oh, yeah. Because there was just something about that girl, something that made me sure I could trust her. Was I wrong about that? I waited for Zexion to say more. He was quiet for a moment before going on. "Demyx... I know what you were trying to do, and you had the right idea at first, asking about her brother and telling her about Axel. It wasn't like small talk, but you didn't get too personal either. That's a good thing. And while forgetting to introduce yourself isn't good, it wasn't really a problem. But... well, when you started telling her about your personal life, your parents and your lack of knowledge in meeting new people, you were way too personal. You basically told her your whole life story. She was a stranger, she didn't need to know all that. You couldn't even be sure that she would _want_ to know so much about you." Oh. So that was it. Man, did I have it wrong. I'd thought that asking about her brother would be impolite or something, and it was better to tell her about myself instead. Wow, I guess I really _don't _know much about meeting new people. Oh, well. At least I started out okay. That's better than I would've thought. I laughed nervously. "It just felt like... like I could trust her." Zexion sighed. "Yes, you said that before." He paused for a moment. "Well, this Kura girl seems like an unusual girl. At least she didn't seem to mind too much, so I suppose you didn't do any damage. What do you plan on saying if she were to call you?" he inquired. I'd never really thought out what I would say. "I dunno." I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck again. "I guess, I was just going to say whatever came to mind. It seemed to work this time." Zexion pushed the hair away from his face and fixed me with a penetrating gaze. "Demyx, talking to new people is not at all like talking to Axel and I. When you talk to us, we know what you mean to say, even if you do not say it that way. Because we've know you all our lives. But, people who do _not _know you will _not _understand you the way we do. You must be careful not to say something you might regret later." I blinked. I hated it when he talked like that, sounding like a book. He didn't make any sense when he did that. "Umm, what?" I asked. Zexion picked up his book and started to read again, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs comfortably. "All I'm saying, Demyx, is that sometimes you can be confusing. Just try to make sure the meaning of your words is clear."

I often leave Zexion's house with a nice headache.

Since all of this still didn't make much sense, I decided to go back to the hospital and see if Axel was awake yet. Maybe he could explain better. When I got there, Kura was gone, thankfully. I wouldn't really be able to talk about what to say to her if she was right there too. Also thankfully, Axel was awake. He was squirming in the hospital bed, not allowed to get up but driven insane by staying still. Yep, same old Axel. He'd be just _fine_ in a few weeks. I smiled to myself. Axel noticed me and frowned. "What makes _you_ so happy?" he snapped. I laughed. "Don't blame all of this on _me_, Ax. _I'm _not the one who ran into the street without looking. You get yourself hurt a lot, Axel, but you haven't done something _that _stupid in a while." I teased. "Hmph." Oh, wow. He was _pouting. _Yeah, he'd be fine. "So what do you want, anyway?" he grumbled, crossing his arms. "You didn't come to just make fun of my... carelessness." I smirked. "Too right, Axel. Unfortunately, you slept through the _whole_ thing. I was talking to this girl in here. Her little brother's your roommate." Axel eyes widened. "Whoa. You actually _talked_ to someone you didn't know? Holy crud. It's the apocalypse!" he said dramatically. I laughed again. "Sure, the apocalypse. Whatever you say, Axel. Do you want to hear the conversation or not?" He shut up immediately. Smirking, I relayed the whole story again.

By the time I was done, the sun was going down. Axel had looked increasingly surprised the whole time. When I finished, he was speechless. "....Wow! How did I miss all of that?" he said, amazed. "You were out like a log, Axel." I snickered. "I was talking about you _right_ in front of you and you didn't hear it. Too bad, huh?" Axel took a swing at me. I ducked, used to this. "Oh, shut up. I wasn't talking about that." he muttered. "So anyways, what are you gonna say to her when she calls?" Ugh, that question again. I shrugged. "Dunno. Zexion suggested I 'just try to make sure the meaning of my words is clear.' Whatever he meant by that." Axel sighed. "What he meant is, say what you mean. When you talk to us, what you say and what you mean aren't exactly the same. But we know you, so we know what you mean." Weird. Zexion had said the same thing. That means its twice as important. If only they actually _made sense _when they said it. Axel went on. "But when you talk to this girl again, you gotta say what you really _mean_, and don't make it confusing. Keep it simple, make sure she knows what you mean. Don't say something she wouldn't know about without explaining. Like, don't say you never let me near a match without saying why you don't. Though I have _no _idea why you trust me so little." he said grumpily. Axel was a total pyromaniac. He loved burning things. Zexy and I made sure there was never a single match within twenty yards of him _at all times. _He's smarter than me, sure, but he tended to do stupid things sometimes. He was never careful. Hence this little vacation at the hospital for another month. "You know _exactly_ why, Axel." I warned. "But, thanks. You're making a lot more sense than Zexy was. He always talks so.... intelligently." Axel chuckled. "Makes you feel kinda dumb, huh? Don't take it personally, man. Everyone feels that way. You read too many books, and you become a book, got it memorized?" We both laughed about that for a minute.

Soon after that, I had to leave for home. I promised Axel that I'd be back the next day if nothing came up, and then walked home, trying to figure out more of this whole Kura thing. Yeah, meeting new people was hard.

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Ehhh.... How bad is it, people? I gotta know. Please REVIEW! :D Can I have 3 reviews before the next chapter? Pwease? It would make me happy, and when I'm happy, I write faster and better. :3 Thanks for reading! ^w^ Again, sorry it's so late. TT_TT


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